


We Live In A Universe Of Chances

by TwistedIllusions



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: BAMF Klaus Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves Friendship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Good Sibling Allison Hargreeves, Good Sibling Ben Hargreeves, Good Sibling Diego Hargreeves, Hurt Klaus Hargreeves, Hurt/Comfort, Klaus Hargreeves Can Levitate, Klaus Hargreeves Deserves Better, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves Needs Help, Klaus Hargreeves Powers Overwhelm Him, Klaus Hargreeves Whump, Klaus Hargreeves-centric, Klaus doesn't know when to stop, Klaus doesn't listen to his own body, Klaus won't stop until he finds his siblings, Klaus's powers are killing him, Klaus's powers are slowly killing him, Learning New Powers, Other, Protective Ben Hargreeves, Protective Diego Hargreeves, Sick Klaus Hargreeves, Sober Klaus Hargreeves, Telekinesis, no beta we die like ben, season 2 theories, season two, self destructive behavior
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:15:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24965827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwistedIllusions/pseuds/TwistedIllusions
Summary: They failed. The apocalypse was not averted. As the moon plummeted towards the earth, sending shockwaves of fire and ash towards them, Five knew what he needed to do. With one final last ditch effort, Five took his siblings by their hands, opening a portal through time and space...and they jumped.But after the months to him, but days to his siblings of literal hell Klaus just endured, he didn't have the strength to hold on.And he slipped....Tumbling through a detour in time, separating himself from his siblings and landing in a place (and time) unknown, Klaus with only the ever present company of his dearly departed brother Ben worked together - stumbling through learning new extensions of his powers in an effort to reconnect their family once again.But when Klaus's powers continue to progress and strengthen, his body can't seem to keep up...will he be able to find his siblings before his body fails him completely?
Comments: 102
Kudos: 655





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I was chatting in my discord server about S2 theories and took a nap and this is what I dreamed of LOL sooo after chatting with my friend Natch, we decided why waste this, it should be written down! Weird, even my dreams are mean to this poor child. LOL
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy! It's not beta read, there will be plenty of mistakes, but it's going to be short enough I felt it's probably fine. lol I hope you enjoy! :)
> 
> Who's excited for Season two?!!?! I know I am!! LOL

Klaus let out a huge sigh of relief. They did it, they saved the world, and thanks to Allison's quick thinking...they’d also managed to save their sister. He turned, trailing his gaze to the sky above when something caught his attention. Alarmed, Klaus slowly rose to his feet. He was surprised to find that he was unsteady; although he knew he shouldn’t be, considering the fact that he was still recovering from his ten month stint in Vietnam, watching the life leave his love's eyes as he held him in his arms while he died. Plus, conjuring Ben, the after effects from whatever the hell it was that Vanya did to him when she held his siblings and himself within her tendrils, sucking them dry of life. Not to mention he was still sick from withdrawal, but he couldn’t focus on any of that right now, not when he realized what he was looking at.

“Uh...guys,” he started, pointing weakly towards the vision that had caught his attention. Moon rocks were hurtling towards the earth like molten asteroids. There were hundreds of them, if not thousands, careening closer and closer by the second. “Do you see that big moon rock coming towards us?”

Instantly his words caught his siblings' curiosity; Diego and Luther rose to their feet, slowly coming closer to see what their brother spoke of. Their jaws slackened, fear instantly flooding through their bellies, or more appropriately, burning through them like a wildfire. 

“Oh, this is not good,” Diego said, stopping at Klaus’s side.

“So, this is it, huh?” Klaus said, reaching beneath his army fatigues, desperately in search for Dave’s dog tags. Clutching the cool metal between his fingers, Klaus’s eyes welled with tears. He was terrified, scared to realize that they’d failed, this was truly it, the world was ending and they soon would be dying. He’d officially lived up to his nickname as a failure, and the biggest disappointment. At least, he thought, he would finally be reunited with Dave. “So much for... _saving the world_.”

“If only Sir Reginald could see us right now, huh?” Diego started, grinding his teeth and clenching his fists, “The Umbrella Academy,” His nostrils flared in disgust, anger, and defeat. “A total failure.”

The earth began to quake, the moon rocks starting to make contact, one after another pelting into the world like a boxer’s fist pounded against a nose. Luther turned, facing his siblings. “At least we’re together at the end,” he started, wiping at his tears. “As a family.”

The siblings lowered their gazes, closing their eyes as they accepted their fate. This was it, as the earth shook and the moon continued to crumble they knew their time was drawing to an end. 

Five looked at each of his siblings’ faces; he saw and recognized their fear, but what he would not allow was their acceptance. “This doesn’t have to be the end,”

Luther, Klaus and Diego slowly turned, facing their smallest sibling. “What?” started Luther, “What are you saying, Five?”

“I think I have a way out of here,” he said, holding up his hands to placate his sibling’s enquiries that he saw building within their throats, “but you gotta trust me on this.”

“No--”

“Yeah, I don’t think so--”

“I don’t trust you--”

“Well,” Five said, inching closer, puffing out his chest to assert his authority, “Then we might as well accept our fate, because in less than a minute we’re going to be vaporized!”

Diego turned, glaring at his sibling, “What’s your idea then?” 

Five inched himself closer, eyes darting between each of his siblings. “We use my ability to time travel,” he began, coming closer, “only this time...I’ll take you all with me.” 

Diego’s face contorted, so many emotions flooding behind his irises: uncertainty, confusion, _hope_. “You...you can do that?”

Five straightened, shaking his head, “Honestly, I don’t know. I’ve never tried it before.”

Diego deflated. How could his brother propose such an uncertain request? If this didn’t work...well, if it didn’t work, they would simply die in a fiery blaze anyways, so really, what was there to lose? Raising his eyebrows and quirking his head, he looked to each of his siblings. “What’s the worst that can happen? We die?”

Klaus shrugged, quirking a brow. 

“You’re looking at it,” Five said, “a fifty-eight year old man trapped inside a child's body, so...there’s that.” 

Diego scoffed, “Yeah, well, what the hell, I’m in.”

“Yeah,” Klaus joined, “whatever, I’m in--”

“Me too.” finished Luther, looking to the floorboards of the theatre. “Allison?” Allison nodded quickly, unable to speak, but eager to accept a way to save all of their lives. Luther smiled, turning his gaze to Klaus. “What about Ben?”

Klaus’s lips tugged into a smile; it felt nice to finally have his family realize that he wasn’t lying, he’d never lied about Ben always being by his side, giving him support and advice, being his constant partner in crime. Ben smiled, too, finally getting the recognition and seeing how happy their approval made Klaus. He nodded, a bright grin spread wide across his features. “Great, yeah, he said he’s in!” Klaus announced cheerily. 

“Okay, great,” Five said, wasting no time to gather everyone into a circle--they had less than thirty seconds to do this, they couldn’t afford to hesitate. “Luther, grab Vanya!”

The siblings all burst into action, Luther scooping Vanya into his arms, “Wait, should we be taking her?” he said, looking at his sister's unconscious features. It pained him to say it, she was his sister after all, and while they may have never been close due to the wedge driven between them since birth, he still loved her. “I mean...if she’s what causes the apocalypse.. isn’t that like taking the bomb with us?”

“ _Look_ , the apocalypse will always happen, and Vanya will always be the cause, _unless_ we take her with us and _fix_ her!” Five informed boldly, authoritatively. They didn’t have time to argue over potentially sacrificing their sister, they just didn’t have _time_. An air of silence encompassed them, reality slowly sinking in as they felt the earth continue to rumble beneath their feet. The vibrations grew stronger, and if they didn’t know any better, they could almost feel the heat already beginning to swallow them alive. They needed to do this, _right now_. Klaus stepped forward, taking a hold of Vanya’s foot to ground his connection to her, before intertwining his fingers within Diego’s. Diego nodded at him, grasping firmly onto his brother's hand before extending his other hand to Fives, and Five to Allison, until each sibling had a firm hold on one another. Five looked to the sky, and the crumbling ruins of what was once the glowing white beacon formerly known as the moon with a look of determination etched onto his sharp features. His face screwed up, strained in discomfort, a blue flicker appearing above them before a brilliant blue and purple anomaly of light formed around The Umbrella Academy members. A strong pressure built up, pressing and pulling against their figures. Klaus winced at the feeling of it all, he was so tired, so sore, but he was ready for this. He knew they had no other choice for any chance of survival. 

“It’s working!” Luther shouted over the thunder bellowing in their ears and Five’s screams of desperation to conjure enough energy to transport all of his siblings through time. The earth burst into flames around them, wiping out entire continents in sheer seconds, quickly reaching the epicenter of where the havoc first came from. Klaus closed his eyes, swallowing down his sudden nausea. His head was spinning, his energy quickly fading, he only hoped he wouldn’t pass out, ruining their chances of escaping this literal hell. A hand on his shoulder caught his attention and he swayed slightly towards the touch.

“Klaus, are you alright?” Ben asked him, steadying him when he found he was still somehow corporeal. Was he doing that? Klaus nodded, closing his eyes. His nostrils flared in concentration, his grip tightening against his siblings. He could do this, he knew he could.

“Hold on, this could get messy!” Five shouted. Everyone did as they were told, knuckles all turning deathly white as they held firmly onto one another’s hands. The pull grew stronger as the seconds passed, Klaus’s knees felt weak. Of course, leave it to him for his strength to decide now was the perfect time to fail him. He shook his head, opening his eyes and groaned, slumping slightly only for Ben and Diego to hold him up.

“Klaus,” Diego began,” What is it, what’s wrong, are you--”

Suddenly Klaus felt like he was sucked through the window of a jet engine mid flight. Wind whipped around him, tugging at his body in every direction, straining his limbs as he was pulled, and stretched painfully. He screamed and he felt someone's hand tightening around his own when his grip strength began to fail him.

“Klaus, don’t let go!” Diego shouted, desperately clasping his fingers around his brother’s, but Klaus was so _tired_ , so physically and emotionally drained from this hellish week. Everything was catching up to him now, and while he tried so hard to keep fighting it, to hold on for just a little while longer...unfortunately, his body had other plans. Klaus’s head was spinning, he felt himself slipping, both physically and consciously. He briefly saw the terrified expression on Diego’s face as his hand slipped between his fingers before Ben’s horrified shriek of _‘No!’_ bellowed around him. Klaus’s eyes fluttered closed, his energy completely spent as he was ripped from his siblings grasp, torn through a ripple in time and expelled into a new unknown millenia. 

Klaus was falling, his body hurtling towards the earth (or, at least, he hoped it was the earth) at an ungodly speed. He relaxed, knowing undoubtedly there was no way he would ever survive the fall. He felt like he was on fire; an asteroid himself as his body raced towards the earth like one of those moon chunks, zipping through the ozone layer and throttling him towards his undeniable demise. When his body broke unexpectedly through the surface of some form of a body of water, quickly slowing his momentum as he drifted through a dark abyss of frigid deep blue waters. Klaus was...floating. He felt no pain, just a heavy feeling of dread and fatigue. This water cushioned his landing, saving his life, now all he needed to do was breach the surface and he would be okay. Klaus kicked his legs, thrusting his arms but the current was too strong, dragging him deeper and deeper below the surface. Klaus couldn’t breathe, he desperately tried again, maneuvering his body as best as he could in a last ditch effort to survive but he just didn’t have the strength. Klaus’s limbs went limp and he was sinking...deeper...and deeper...he felt himself being dragged further and further away from the surface, further and further away from life…

This was it…

He was dying, he could feel it…

So much for another chance…

“Klaus,” Ben was suddenly there, his ghostly face centimeters from his own. “Klaus, come on, you have to conjure me! I can help you!”

Huh..Klaus always found ghost logic to be so obscure. How he could hear Ben loud and clear as though they were casually conversing above the surface, instead of submerged however deep below the ocean. 

“Klaus, focus!” Klaus snapped out of his thoughts at his siblings urgency, “Come on, you can do it, I know you can! I know you’re tired, I get it, I promise there will be a chance to rest but now is not the time...Klaus, _please_! You need to conjure me!”

“Ben--” Klaus gurgled, nearly forgetting he was under water, fluid flooding down his throat and settling within his lungs. He wrenched his eyes shut, his body spasming. Klaus was drowning, his eyes were heavy, his body so weak, his lungs and chest ached from their lack of oxygen. He was dying, he couldn’t do it...he just couldn’t…

_But then he did..._

A faint blue flicker of light pulsated from Klaus’s palms, illuminating the deep inky blue waters surrounding the pair. Ben saw his opportunity, feeling his body become firm, corporeality becoming his sudden reality as he quickly outstretched his limbs towards his brother, wrapping him in his arms and hauling him up, up, up until they both breached the surface. Klaus gasped for air when Ben deposited his sopping wet figure onto the overgrown grass beside the lake that saved his life. He coughed, gagging as water mixed with bile from his sudden stomach upset poured out of his mouth onto the ground before his body collapsed, chest heaving and limbs shaking with fatigue. 

“Easy, Klaus, take it easy, you’re alright. We made it, you’re going to be okay.” Ben assured Klaus as he watched his brother struggling to suck in each breath. Klaus lifted his weary head, coughing again and spitting the remnants of his bile onto the ground before twisting his fingers into the long blades of grass, strengthening his connection to the earth. Klaus drew his knee up, pushing with all of his might off of his leg and up with his arms, but they trembled weakly beneath him. He didn’t even make it off of his knee’s before his limbs failed him, and Klaus tumbled limply to the ground in a boneless heap. Ben instinctively reached out, catching his brother in his arms before he carefully eased him down onto his lap. 

“Woah, no, take it easy Klaus, you need to rest…” Ben urged before the reality surrounding him hit him over the head like a ton of bricks. He just saved his brother’s life, and now he was able to catch him, sparing him from a nasty tumble. He was still here, he was still solid, still _real_. This was the closest Ben had ever felt to being _alive_. “Klaus, maybe you should...you know,” Ben gestured to himself, quirking his brows. “Ease up a little. You should be saving your strength.”

Klaus smiled, relaxing his tired body into his deceased brother’s lap. “I don’t want to be alone.” he admitted, before his exhaustion made its presence known. Klaus’s eyes fluttered, his eyelids slipping closed as the weight of his fatigue dragged them down.

Ben’s lips tugged into a crooked grin. He flattened his legs, pulling Klaus closer until his head was resting against his abdomen, making it easier for Ben to cradle his brother in his lap. Ben smoothed Klaus’s water logged curls away from his tired features, smiling down at his nearly unconscious form. 

Klaus groaned, curling up closer against Ben’s side, opening his eyelids into thin slits. “I’m so tired, Ben.” Klaus whispered, wrapping his fingers into the fabric of Ben’s hoodie. He shivered, closing his eyes once again. 

Ben frowned, shrugging his jacket off of his shoulders and draping it over Klaus’s form, tension melting away when he watched his brother’s tremors slow before coming to a halt. Ben continued to rake his fingers soothingly through Klaus’s curls, warmth settling within his chest as he held his sibling.

“Then sleep,” Ben said, smiling at Klaus when his tired eyes trailed up to meet his own. “Don’t worry, I’ll watch over you.”

The two brother’s exchanged an appreciative grin before Klaus lost his battle with fatigue. His eyes closed, his tension releasing from his body as he finally succumbed to sleep. Ben smiled, watching over his sibling as he held him close. They would need to figure out where, or when in the world they were, and they would need to find their siblings. But for now, Ben was just happy knowing that Klaus was going to be okay. He was alive, the world wasn’t in ruins around them. 

_They were safe._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've discovered something about myself: I am entirely incapable of writing a short story. This was literally based off of a dream I had during a 45 minute nap and it's quickly spiraled into this monstrosity. I hope y'all enjoy it! lol
> 
> That being said, since this was based off of a dream, it wasn't a planned story. Anyone who knows me knows I plot out each chapter of my stories thoroughly--yeah, I didn't do that with this. So, this is literally the epitome of "winging it" for me, so hopefully it didn't turn out too badly! I tried to pull a plot out of thin air, hopefully it came through! My apologies if not! lol
> 
> Anywho, without further ado, please enjoy! :)

The following morning, Klaus wasn’t surprised when he found that he was still feeling utterly exhausted even though he’d managed to somehow sleep undisturbed throughout the entirety of that night, and well into the following morning. Or rather, the early afternoon. 

Of course he was, though--after all, what with him still barely recovering from, you know, serving for ten months of active duty in the _fucking Vietnam War_ , which only aided in him losing Dave, the love of his life. Then there was this fun new game all the kids were raving about that he just had to try his hand at called ‘drug withdrawal’. And, of course there was the added bonus of a whole helluva lot of back and forth time travel (which, as it turned out, wasn’t exactly easy on one’s physical being). Oh, and how could he forget to mention the real kicker? That his ordinary sister wound up being not-so-ordinary, and tried to slaughter him and his siblings (and, ya know, the entire world--but who was he to judge?) If Klaus was being entirely honest with himself, he was more surprised he’d somehow managed to walk away from any of that and still be tip-toeing amongst the land of the living at all. So, after taking into account all of those wee minor details, Klaus decided he would take this opportunity to count his blessings where he could find them. He may be lost in a world unknown without his siblings, but he wasn’t entirely alone. He was just thankful that Ben never left his side.

Klaus groaned when he tried to stand, his knees wobbling beneath his slight weight. His body was left weak; still sore, and burdened by a heavy fatigue. It took a lot of effort and Ben’s physical support to help him rise onto his unsteady feet, but together, they managed. Thankfully, it didn’t take the two brother’s long to make it into a nearby town, shuffling clumsily into the first building they came across. One glance at the calendar adorning the wall of the little Café finally answered the riddle of _when_ they were, and they quickly realized they were no longer in 2019, but were transported and now trapped in the 1960’s. 

1962, to be exact. Klaus felt oddly at peace with this new onslaught of information. Afterall, he was familiar with this time period; having previously spent ten months in the 60’s with Dave. Granted, that was in Vietnam, and not Austin Texas (which answered the question of _where_ they were) but he had confidence that having already experienced this once before, they should have no problem blending in. 

Now that they had a firm grasp on when and where in the world they were located, Klaus’s attention sharpened, turning his full focus to the top priority item on his list: tracking down and finding their siblings. 

He didn’t know _how_ he would manage to do it, but that didn’t matter. All that _did_ matter was reminding himself that it _would_ happen. He couldn’t lose faith—not now. If his scrawny (ex) junkie ass came this far, surely his much more advantageous siblings could, too. Were they in the same time, same state, same country, same universe? Klaus didn't know, but it didn’t matter--because he knew that whatever it would take, he wouldn’t stop until he found them and they would finally be reunited once again.

And so, Klaus hunkered down, beginning the first order of business to ensure he found his siblings--by staying sober. Which was no simple feat. As the minutes in this new timeline stretched to hours, Klaus’s skin quickly began crawling with a deep seated itch for drugs, but he didn’t have time to focus on that right now. So instead, he plopped himself down into a booth, crossing his ankles beneath the table, closing his eyes. Despite his brother's urgency that he continue to rest, while also ignoring the burning itch under his skin, and the grueling fatigue still settled deep within his bones, Klaus poured all of his energy into one thing: his powers. 

He’d been pleasantly surprised when he awoke that first day to find Ben still there; still _solid_ and ever present beside him. Even in his sleep he’d somehow managed to keep his brother corporeal, but he could feel the pull of his solidity beginning to fizzle. So, Klaus focused on his abilities, reaching deep within himself and pushing harder to ensure Ben didn’t flicker or fade away. Once he saw Ben’s grainy, blurred edges solidify, Klaus smiled, and quickly decided that wasn’t going to change anytime soon. So he made a promise to Ben, right then and there that he would never have to go unheard from or unseen ever again.

* * *

“Tell me, sir, what does it feel like to be the first ghost to be brought back to almost-life?’” Klaus asked Ben in a mock news reporter voice, miming holding a microphone to his brother’s lips.

Ben grinned widely before his features softened. Clearing his throat, he leaned towards Klaus’s hand, tapping his index and middle finger against it, “Yes, hi, is this thing on? I have to say it uh..it feels pretty good, Bob.” 

Klaus chuckled maniacally. “ _Good_ , that's it?! Where’s your enthusiasm, bro? Give me a little more than that! How does it _really_ feel?”

“It feels fucking amazing!” Ben cheered, slamming his hands against the booth, grinning wide when his palms didn’t just phase through but actually made physical contact with the cool, sticky surface.

“Hell yeah! That’s more like it, there’s the spirit I know!” Klaus laughed before his smile faded, his body swaying dizzily. “ _Woah_...shit, you know you shouldn’t rile me up like that, Benny. Not when I’m still feeling a little woozy.” 

“You know you do a fine job of doing that yourself,” Ben offered with a subtle grin. Klaus laughed, waving his hand at his brother before he moaned, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes. Ben’s features dipped into a frown. He reached his arm out to steady his brother, pushing the glass of water their waitress brought them closer to Klaus. “Here, Maybe you should drink something,” Ben suggested, eyeing his sibling worriedly. It didn’t take much to see just how tired he truly was. “Klaus, Maybe you should take a break, I don’t mind going ghost for a little while—“

“No way, bro. Sorry, Benny my boy, but it’ll take a whole hell of a lot more than this to sever the ties that bind us. Besides, you know I’m a stubborn bastard,” he smiled softly at his ghostly sibling. “So I guess that means you’re stuck with me.” Klaus finished with a wink.

“I don’t know, man...are you sure about this? It’s just...it’s _a lot_ , you know...to keep me corporeal.”

Klaus smiled, squeezing Ben’s hand before reaching for the glass of water. He swirled the red and white striped straw in the glass before slurping down a sip. Leaning back, Klaus shifted his gaze to his brother’s. “I’ve never been more sure in my life, Ben. I made a promise to you, and I intend to keep it,” he chuckled, clapping Ben’s shoulder playfully before leaning his head back against the booth, folding his arms across his belly and closing his eyes. “Welcome back, by the way.” he grinned, opening one eye to peer at his sibling.

Ben smiled, leaning back in the booth himself and reaching for Klaus’s hand, feeling the warmth of his brother's fingers slip between his own. “It’s good to be back.”

* * *

Klaus had faith that he wouldn’t break this promise. Besides, If he’d managed to keep it up this long when he was already feeling so run down, surely he could continue to do-so, and hopefully, with a little luck, maybe he could build his powers from there.

_Klaus was pleased when he did…_

* * *

“Ben, Ben come here, you gotta see this!” Klaus’s voice trilled excitedly through their tiny apartment. 

They’d been in 1962 for a little over a month already. Klaus picked up a small job, reading tarot cards, and doing palm reading’s outside of that little Café that first greeted them upon their arrival to this time. He didn’t do it often, as he didn't want to waste his valuable time on ‘stupid parlor tricks’ when he should be sharpening his skills to find his siblings. But he did work often enough to earn them their keep in the small apartment above the Café. Luckily, the café’s owner, Mrs. Ellis was a kind soul, and took instant pity on Klaus when she saw how weak he was; watching how he was all but carried in, bearing all of his weight on Ben’s shoulders as he was plopped down into that little booth that very first day. She’d become almost like an aunt to the two brothers; offering them a place to stay with disgustingly cheap rent, even letting them take the extra pastries home with them at the end of every night. Ben got all the free coffee he wanted, and Mrs. Ellis loved making sure they had a hot stack of waffles each and every morning. Ben helped bus tables, and cleaned the shop at the end of the day to help Klaus earn their keep, and both boys were just grateful that Mrs. Ellis didn’t try to pry them for information. Afterall, Klaus’s army fatigues, neon tank top and leather pants weren’t exactly the style of the era, but she didn’t so much as bat an eyelash or question it. She did, however, offer them some clothes that she had stored in the closet upstairs from her late husband Charlie which she assured they were welcome to, even apologizing that they may be a bit too loose a fit on Klaus’s slender frame. 

_“Honestly, young man, have you never heard of a decent meal? Why, you’re nearly as thin as my Charlie was before the cancer stole him away.”_

Klaus worked on his powers constantly. He would read tarot’s and fortunes for an hour each morning after breakfast, then retreat upstairs to train for hours on end. Ben was proud of his drive; he’d never seen Klaus so determined to better his abilities in his entire life (or death). It was nice, watching him funnel all of his addictive energy into something positive, for once. No longer did he have to watch his brother slowly killing himself with drugs, or alcohol, or selling his body for a place to stay. Klaus was clean, he was getting stronger, and stronger with each passing day, and he was making honest pay. Ben approved of his brother’s new and improved lifestyle. 

“What is it?” Ben asked, stepping into the living room where he’d heard Klaus’s voice coming from. But as he entered, he found the room to be empty. Confused, Ben furrowed his brows, ducking his head around the corner to re-check for his sibling. “Klaus?”

Suddenly, Ben felt a chill run down his neck, a breath of air softly blown against the delicate skin behind his ear, ruffling the baby hairs framing it and making him flinch when it tickled. Ben’s hand snapped behind his neck, rubbing the odd feeling away only to hear Klaus’s incessant giggling. Ben spun, whirling around on his heels to yell at his sibling, holding his finger up pointedly to scold him only to stop dead in his tracks at what he saw.

“ _Ta-da_!” Klaus squealed enthusiastically, fanning his fingers in the air in spirit fingers, his legs folded criss-cross-applesauce as he _floated_ six feet in the air.

Ben’s jaw dropped.

“Klaus, are you...are you _flying_?!”

“I’m pretty sure it’s just levitation, bro, but pfft, who cares! Check me out, I’m zoomin!” Klaus said, striking a superhero pose in midair. “Just call me super-Klaus! Dun duh-duh dun dun duh duuuuun!” he exclaimed, broad cheshire grin spread wide across his handsome features. Ben had never seen Klaus so excited, so _proud_ of himself. He deserved to feel this happy.

“Holy shit, I can’t believe you can do that!”

“Right? HA! _‘Greatest disappointment’_ my ass! Five may be able to jump through time, and Luther may have super strength but none of those bitches can do this!” Klaus said, lazily back stroking through the air as though he were just as easily swimming in a pool.

Ben laughed heartily at Klaus’s silly antics. He watched his brother drift around the room for some time, just basking in the glory of it all. Klaus’s powers had already come so far in just a month’s span of time. Ben’s connection to the world grew stronger each day; he truly felt like a living, breathing person again, all thanks to Klaus’s persistence to never let him drop from corporeality. Now, this? He could fly? Ben couldn’t help but wonder what was next? At this rate, Ben was excited for Klaus’s future, and couldn’t wait to see what it would hold for his brother. If he kept this up, surely Klaus would be able to stick to his admirations, and actually be able to use his abilities to track down their siblings. But for now, he knew that Klaus should probably come down and rest.

“Alright, super-Klaus, it’s time to come down,” Ben started.

“Aw, don’t be such a downer! Ha, get it Benny, a _‘downer!’_ ” Klaus laughed at his joke, doing somersaults in the air mockingly above Ben’s head.

Ben exhaled a laugh, rolling his eyes. “You know, you aren’t even funny. Seriously though, Mrs. Ellis made us some bagel sandwiches for lunch, so come on, float down here and come eat.”

Klaus huffed, puffing his lips out in a pout as he bowed his head in defeat. “Ugh, fiiine.”

Slowly, Klaus drifted downwards until his toes planted against the dark hardwood floors. He sank onto the balls of his feet until they were laying flat, and he was ‘grounded’ once again.

“Welcome back to earth.” Ben grinned, shaking his head when Klaus just started laughing. 

Klaus was so happy; so _overwhelmingly proud _of himself and his powers, and seeing just what he was actually capable of doing. For once, Reggie had been right about him: He had just barely begun to scratch the surface of his capabilities. Now that he knew he could fucking levitate, he was excited to delve deeper, push himself further and explore the depths of just what all he could really do. He smiled a lot brighter after that realization. Because he knew without a shadow of a doubt in his mind, that he was already that much closer to somehow using these new powers to reconnect him with their siblings. Klaus had never been more happy in his entire life. He laughed, dancing around in a tight circle to emphasize his unbridled joy when that elation quickly ran dry. A sharp burst of white hot agony burst through Klaus's skull, causing him to suddenly waver. Klaus winced, gasping out in pain. He tangled his fingers into his curls with one hand as he stretched the other out, reaching for something to steady himself on when his world tilted dangerously around him.__

____

____

“Klaus, what is it, are you okay?” Ben asked urgently, sprinting to his side and wrapping his arm around his brother’s back when he watched him begin to slump weakly down the textured wall. 

Klaus opened his eyes, squinting through his discomfort as he allowed Ben to help hold his weight. “Y-yeah...sorry, I just...got a little light headed...” 

“ _Light headed?_ Klaus, maybe you--” 

“M’fine, Ben. Just...not used to flying, s’all.” He laughed lightly, trying to settle his siblings evident fear rising in his belly. “I’m okay." 

Ben looked at him, uncertainty etched harshly across his features. “Klaus, seriously, are you sure? You look a little pale—” 

“ _Pshyeah_ ,” Klaus assured, pushing himself upright as if to prove his point. “Never better! Did you miss the part where I flew? I’m a natural born badass, Benny!” 

Ben couldn’t help but quirk a grin. Afterall, Klaus did seem to be feeling a little better now; his rosy red color was starting to seep back into his cheeks. Maybe he was right. Maybe he was fine. It was true, this was all new for him, surely it would just take some getting used to. “Alright, well...come on, you know Mrs. Ellis wouldn’t appreciate you wasting her food. It’s time to eat. I’ll fix you a plate.” 

“Thanks mein bruder, you go on ahead, I’ll be right there.” 

Ben smiled, nodding before heading into the kitchen to get their lunches ready for them. 

Once Ben was gone Klaus allowed his eyes to slip closed, leaning his full weight against the wall. He was displeased when he realized how badly the room was still spinning, his temples pulsing with a pounding headache. Klaus knew that he was fine, though. These powers, levitating or flying or whatever the hell you wanted to call them, it was all brand spanking new to him. He would get the hang of it eventually, and these weird… _spells_ they brought would surely get better with time. He chuckled to himself at the joke that formed in his head; floating made him lightheaded -- _go figure_. 

Ben returned, a smile still on his face as he settled their lunches down onto the coffee table. Holding a glass of water, he offered it to Klaus. “Celebratory toast?” 

Klaus smiled, peeling himself away from the wall and accepting the glass into his hands, ignoring the way they shook unsteadily. Klaus tapped the glass against the rim of Ben’s with a satisfying clink. 

“To new powers?” Ben suggested thoughtfully. 

“No,” Klaus said, “to new beginnings.” 

* * *

Hours stretched into days, and then days rolled over into weeks, and before long the weeks had shifted into months where Klaus continued to train, focusing all of his energy into strengthening his powers--and it was obvious that his efforts were working as his abilities continued to expand. 

* * *

_‘Hey, Ben….Ben can...can you come here?’_

“Klaus, where are you?” Ben asked into the void of air around him. 

After all, his brother wasn’t there. Klaus was communicating with him telepathically. He discovered he had the power of telekinesis a little over three weeks ago, and it quickly became his new favorite form of communication. Why mince words face to face when you could just push one's own thoughts directly into another's mind? This ability was still fresh for him; they didn’t work if Ben was too far away, almost like the connection was too weak to reach outside of their tiny apartment, but it was strengthening with every use. 

Ben was so proud of Klaus. In the few short months since their arrival he’d made so many new and exciting discoveries about himself, about his powers. Each new ability brought a flood of joy to his sibling. Ben could see it. He saw the changes happening within his brother; how proud of himself he was, how excited he was knowing full well that with each passing day they were that much closer to figuring out a way to make contact with their siblings. All Klaus had to do was keep it up, and he showed no sign of stopping. 

_‘I’m in the living room, can you come quick...please?’_

Ben didn’t know why, but his dead heart clenched at Klaus’s tone. If he didn't know any better, Ben would almost swear that it sounded like something was… _wrong_. “I’m coming, I’ll be right there.” 

Ben entered the living room and his heart plummeted from his chest. Klaus laid collapsed in the middle of the floor, his body strewn precariously in what looked to be an uncomfortable position. He was trying in vain to push himself upright on wobbly limbs. Ben couldn’t help but to wince once he realized how obviously Klaus was struggling. 

“Shit, Klaus what happened? Are you okay?” Ben asked anxiously, quickly closing the distance between himself and his brother. Klaus allowed his body to collapse against the floorboards just as Ben knelt beside him. Rolling Klaus over, Ben scooped his listless body into his lap. 

Klaus groaned, peeling open his eyes to weakly peer at his sibling. “I think so. I just...got a little dizzy, and fell down.” Klaus swallowed, his eyelashes fluttering minutely. 

“Dizzy?” Ben asked, scrutinizing his brother’s exhausted features. “Klaus, I thought you said you weren’t getting these spells anymore?” 

“M’not, Ben, I’m just... _tired_.” 

Ben frowned, “Tired? Klaus, are you having more nightmares?” 

Klaus laughed pitifully, nodding his head. “Yeah...yeah, more nightmares.” 

Honestly, nightmares were the least of Klaus’s problems. Sure, he had them. Well, he had _one_ , anyways. A recurring nightmare, replaying his last moments with his siblings, and watching helplessly as they were forcefully ripped away from him, presumably never to be seen again. But Klaus’s real issues ran much deeper than that. Since his powers continued to strengthen, his connective levity to the ghosts had intensified tremendously. They were always there, screaming at him, begging for his help. But he didn’t have time to stop to serve them. Klaus had more important issues to worry about. He needed to find his siblings. His head constantly ached from their relentless shrieking. At least, he’d rather choose to believe that’s what was causing his current issues. Klaus shifted his weight, trying to stand. He groaned at the effort it took him, he felt so physically weak today. He hated to admit it, but he’d noticed this occurring a lot more frequently as of late. While his abilities may have been flourishing and growing, gaining more strength as each day passed them by he realized his body didn’t seem capable of keeping up. He was always sore, and left feeling exhausted. He hated how weak he constantly felt, but he was certain that if he gave it more time, surely he would start feeling better. 

“Here, let's get you off the floor, yeah?” Ben draped Klaus’s arm over his shoulder, carefully helping him onto his feet. Klaus swayed, his knees trembling beneath him as he stumbled forward, but Ben kept a firm hold of him, keeping him safe. “Are you still feeling dizzy?” 

“Yeah, a little.” Klaus admitted, exhaling an exhausted sigh. 

Ben nodded, slowly guiding Klaus towards the couch on the other end of the room, “Here. Sit for a little while, okay? You need to take it easy.” 

Klaus could only nod as he lowered his weary body down until he was resting against the cushions of the couch. He sat there, closing his eyes and taking deep, steadying breaths. He couldn’t believe how dizzy he still felt, or how badly his head _ached_. Maybe just sitting for a few minutes, allowing himself a little break wouldn’t be such a bad idea. 

Ben watched with worried eyes, observing how his brother sat there, pale, and trembling. He could see the glisten of sweat against his skin. Ben was happy how far Klaus’s powers had progressed, watching him finally delve into his full potential was amazing, of course it was, but it worried him to realize how badly his health seemed to be suffering from it. Ben didn’t know if it was just from Klaus’s inability to allow himself to rest, or if there was something much more serious at play here. All he knew was that this had been happening for a while now, and as time continued on it frightened Ben to realize that Klaus only seemed to be getting worse. He only hoped his brother would be okay. 

“Are you hungry? Maybe a little food in your belly would help you feel better?” 

Klaus shook his head, resting his hands across his abdomen. “No, not really.” 

“Klaus, you need to eat,” Ben began, squeezing his brother's shoulder. “It’s been a few days since your last meal. You know, Mrs. Ellis keeps asking about you, she’s been wondering why you haven’t been down to the Café lately. She’s worried you aren’t eating enough. Look, I know you want to fine tune your powers, but your health can’t suffer for it. You need to take care of yourself—“ 

“Ben, please.. I’m fine, really,” Klaus smiled reassuringly, slowly adjusting his body until he was positioned more comfortably on the sofa. “I’m just kinda tired, okay? I think...I think I’m going to try to sleep for a bit.” 

Ben couldn’t deny him that; he knew that Klaus undoubtedly needed his rest. He was clearly running on fumes as it was, he only hoped a decent amount of sleep would help him feel better. “Alright, yeah, that’s a good idea. Would you rather go to the bedroom? I can help you—“ 

“Mm,” Klaus hummed, curling up into himself. He was too tired to even consider moving, not right now. “No, here is fine.” 

“Okay then,” Ben reached over Klaus, pulling the blanket down from the back of the couch. Draping it over his exhausted sibling, he tucked him in. He ruffled his curls, earning a soft grin from him before his features softened. “Goodnight, Klaus.” Ben turned, leaving his brother on the couch to sleep. He turned on their string of fairy lights before flicking off the living room light. 

_‘Goodnight, Ben.’_

With one final glance at Klaus, Ben smiled, retreating to his own room. Kicking off his shoes, and slipping into pajamas, Ben laid down in his own bed. It was odd; he was dead, after all, and the dead didn’t need sleep, but Klaus always urged him to ‘at least try to get some rest, if even just for a break from me!’— so he did. Every night he would retreat to his own room, but he would never sleep. Instead he would lie awake, mulling over his day, or what he would do the next day. He would think fondly of his siblings, and hope and dream of the day when they would finally see them again. But more often than not, he would think of Klaus. Even now: Klaus wanting Ben to rest when the dead needn’t worry about sleep. He only wished his brother would heed his own advice. Ben sighed, closing his eyes as he continued to worry over his brother. 

“Please, just let him be okay.” 

* * *

More time passed by, and unfortunately while Klaus’s powers continued to strengthen, he found that his body’s physical strength only continued to diminish… 

He’d still been losing sleep, now more so than ever. The ghosts continued to be a constant nuisance; hounding him, yelling at him, begging him for his help through all hours of the day and night. A constant headache had settled itself uncomfortably behind his temples, pounding to the rhythm of his heartbeat, or each shriek of the damned. When their wails grew louder, so much so that Klaus couldn’t bear to listen to them any longer, he became overwhelmed… 

_And he fell off the wagon…_

Klaus screamed, clawing at the tender skin around his ears. The tiny crescent moon indents deepened until they cratered and began pooling with his blood. Tears freely fell down his face, mixing with his sweat and saliva as he continued to wail. His head was killing him, his stomach roiled painfully, his entire body ached. He was in so much pain, and had been for a while, now. Klaus couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a decent night’s sleep. The ghosts were so loud anymore, so insistent that he just fucking listen to them, they only wanted their voices to be heard. But all he wanted was some peace and quiet and for them to just _please_ , leave him alone. He felt like his skull would split open from the pressure building behind his eyes, he couldn’t believe his agony. He couldn’t even eat, his nausea too strong, anytime he tried he’d barely even swallow before his belly would expel it’s vile contents. He’d struggled to keep anything down for weeks. 

Weeks… 

Weeks… 

Weeks, this had been going on. Never ending torment, unbelievable pain. He tried to use his abilities to push the ghosts away, banish them back to hell where they belonged, but anytime he tried it seemed to push Ben away, too...and Klaus couldn’t stand to not have his brother with him…

_He didn’t want to be alone..._

So he allowed them to stay, and tried focusing on his powers, keeping his mind focused on his other abilities, but even that couldn’t diminish his pain. He could feel how strong they were becoming - his powers. He could feel his strength seeping from every orifice of his body. 

_He only wished his body could be stronger, too…_

Klaus felt like he was split down his middle--halfway among the living, and partly being pulled by a strong current towards the realm of the dead. He felt like death, anyways. The vessel of his physical being had grown feeble, barely able to stand or support himself any longer, his muscles atrophied and weak. He’d kept that little known knowledge mostly hidden from Ben, using his powers to carry himself around, levitating from one room to the next, only for it to leave him feeling even more drained of energy by the end of the day. He just wished he could sleep. 

_Sleep…_

_Sleep…_

_Sleep…_

_God_ , Klaus just wanted to sleep. He was so tired, so physically drained, he just wanted to rest. 

“Shh, Klaus, easy, calm down. You’re okay, just breathe--” 

“I can’t Ben!” Klaus cried, curling in on himself tighter as he screamed, scratching his nails down the sides of his face. “Just shut up, shut up, shut fucking up, please!” 

“Klaus, please, calm down, you’re hurting yourself--” 

“I can’t--I can’t take this anymore, Ben...I can’t,” Klaus’s body was wracked with sobs as he continued to scream out in agony. 

“I know, Klaus. I’m so sorry, I wish there was something I could do--” 

“There is, Ben...there is something you can do,” Klaus started, entangling his trembling fingers into Ben's shirt as he shifted his bloodshot, tear logged eyes upwards to meet his brother’s. “I need drugs, Benny...please--” 

“Drugs? Klaus, no. You’ve come so far, you can’t be serious—” 

“Please, Benny, please! I’m begging you--” 

“Klaus, you know I can’t allow you to do that--” 

“Look at me, Ben!” Klaus screamed. Ben did as he was told, looking at his brother - really looking at him. He saw how his chest was heaving, face so red it was nearly purple as sweat and tears pooled over every inch of his body. He could see and feel the desperation behind his tear filled eyes. He could see how exhausted he was, how over everything he was, how much _pain_ he was so evidently in. “Look at me, and tell me I don’t need the help...please, Ben...please...I’m begging you. I don’t want it, _of course_ I don’t, not after how hard I’ve worked...how far I’ve come to find everyone...but I need the help...I can’t…” he words trailed as he sucked in a wobbly breath. “I can’t do this anymore, Benny. Please...” Klaus’s eyelashes fluttered, his body collapsing heavily into Ben’s arms. He hated this, he hated seeing Klaus in so much pain, so scared, so _desperate_. 

Ben hated to admit it, but Klaus was _right_. Both of them knew he couldn’t go on like this for much longer. And so, Ben relented, helping his brother get the one thing he’d promised himself he would never do again. 

“Alright,” Ben whispered, hugging Klaus against his chest. His own tears spilling onto his brother’s cheek. “I’ll help you get some drugs.” 

Klaus closed his eyes, his face contorting into something one could only describe as pained. Ben could see how upset Klaus was, how badly he _didn’t want to do this…_

_But they knew if they didn’t, Klaus wouldn’t make it much longer..._

“Don’t worry, Klaus. Everything’s going to be okay.” 

* * *

Of course, Klaus was ashamed of himself when he took that first swig of whiskey, and popped those first three pills. But as time passed on and Klaus finished the entirety of the bottle, his shame quickly wore thin when realization slowly started sinking in. 

His headache never faded, his pain hadn’t dimmed. And as he looked around the room he was still surrounded by the horrifying faces of the entities who’d forced his hand, pushing him back down this treacherous path. Why could he still see them, and hear them, and feel them? Klaus dropped the bottle, allowing the glass to shatter at his feet. He tucked his knees tightly against his chest, burying his eyes into them, rocking himself in an effort to soothe himself as he continued his sobbing. 

_His typical suppressants no longer had any effect on him…_

_Klaus’s powers were too strong…_

_Drugs and alcohol no longer were enough to numb him from his pain…_

So, his never ending misery continued on. He couldn’t sleep, he couldn’t eat, his headache grew worse and worse as the dead grew louder, and louder and his abilities became stronger and stronger... 

Klaus gave up on attempting to numb himself ever again after that; quickly losing any lust for drugs or alcohol. As the days began to blur together, shifting into new months and Klaus’s abilities continued to strengthen, his health just continued to deteriorate. It was Ben who suggested Klaus try smoking weed. If only to at least help lessen the effects of his debilitating migraines, and hopefully help reinstate his appetite, if even just a little. 

_Thankfully it did help…_

_But only very little…_

* * *

Ben swirled the soapy water against the dish in his hands, scrubbing until his fingers were nearly raw as he chipped away at the dried on bits of food. He’d been picking up extra shifts lately down at the Cafe. Afterall, someone had to keep a steady income since Klaus never left the apartment anymore. He was far too preoccupied to worry about such mundane tasks such as palm readings, or fortune telling. As each new day drew to an end, Klaus was getting closer to contacting their siblings, they both could feel it. Unfortunately, Klaus’s health hadn’t been the best as of late. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see how sickly Klaus had grown over the course of the eight months since they’d first landed in 1962. He could hardly eat, and Ben didn’t know if he was even capable of sleeping anymore. Klaus had always been a slender person, but it was alarming just how skinny he’d become. He saw how Klaus tried to hide whatever was wrong with him, but Ben saw through his charades. He would be lying to himself if he said that Klaus hadn’t been worrying him for quite some time now. It was obvious something was horribly wrong. Apparently, it was more evident to him than it was to his brother. Klaus was adamant he was fine. Always quick to shrug off Ben’s urged suggestions that he take a day, or two off. Give himself a break. Klaus would always refuse. 

Ben sighed, rinsing the dish before he slotted it into the drying rack. He grabbed the next dirty dish in his pile, dunking it into the water, before starting scrubbing again. 

At least Ben could say he accomplished something with Klaus today. He witnessed him in utter dismay as Klaus levitated himself off of the couch that morning, and just how badly he struggled to do so. He watched helplessly as he started sinking towards the floor, only to push harder to right himself, just to begin drifting downwards once again. Ben barely made it to him in time, catching his brother in his patiently awaiting arms just as his abilities seemed to simply cut out, dropping him from the air. Klaus groaned, trying to push himself away from Ben’s grasp, only for him to hold on tighter, forcing him to look him in his eyes. 

"No, Klaus,” he stated firmly, taking his brother's hand into his own as he helped settle his weakened body down onto the couch. “That’s it. You’re done. I don’t care what you have to say, but even you can’t deny it any longer. _This?_ This is your body telling you it needs a break. So that’s exactly what you’re going to do, understood?” 

“Ben, I’m--” 

“Taking a break. Now, lay down--” 

“But--” 

“Down, Klaus. I mean it, you need to lie down.” 

He was overwhelmed with joy when Klaus actually listened. Finally, he laid down, pulling the blanket from the back of the couch before closing his eyes. Ben watched him, running his fingers through his curls to help soothe him, in hopes that his tender touch may help lull his stubborn brother to sleep. He couldn’t contain the tug of his lips, or the warmth that filled his cheeks when he finally after what felt like years, heard Klaus’s delicate snores. He continued to watch over him for a little while longer, humming a soft tune to help drown out the spirits surrounding them as he ran his palm down his arm, tucking the blanket closer to his slight frame. After a few minutes passed and Ben felt confident he wouldn’t wake anytime soon, he gently as could be left Klaus alone so he could continue to rest in peace. 

“Ben, sweetie, where on earth has that brother of yours been lately? I haven’t seen him in ages, his clients keep asking when their favorite psychic medium will be back to tell them their fortunes.” Mrs. Ellis asked as she rounded the corner into the kitchen, giggling softly while she pat Ben on his wrist. 

“Oh, sorry about that Mrs. Ellis. Klaus just hasn’t been feeling very well lately.” 

Her eyebrows knitted together in concern. “Not feeling well? Heavens, that simply won’t do. Is the poor dear alright?” 

“Oh yeah, he’ll be okay. He’s just a little tired. He gets really bad migraines sometimes, and they’ve been acting up a lot. It makes it hard for him to sleep. It uh...takes a lot of his energy, unfortunately.” Ben wished he could fill Mrs. Ellis in on what was really happening with Klaus. But that would take opening up a can of worms that Ben honestly didn’t know her sweet little heart would be able to handle. After all, how could he explain any of their situations to her? Oh, we’re actually from the future. Wild, right? Yeah, our sister tried to demolish the planet, and our brother Five opened a portal through time and space to zap us and our five other super powered siblings out of there so we wouldn’t die. You know, in hopes that we could somehow prevent that whole fiasco. Only, Klaus was already kinda going through a lot at the time and didn't have the energy to hold on, so he kinda slipped and we landed here. But, don’t worry, he’s got way more powers than just being able to read silly tarot cards, he can actually totally commune with the dead--yeah, not nearly as glamorous as it seems, and he can levitate and we can talk telepathically. Oh! And by the way, I’m actually dead--surprise! Yeah, he’s making me corporeal, pretty cool, huh? Mrs. Ellis...Mrs. Ellis, are you okay? 

Ben shivered at the thought of her just dropping dead at such a ludicrous thing, and knew he couldn’t explain the truth. So the simple explanation of Klaus being sick would just have to do. Besides, it wasn’t a lie. Klaus _was_ sick. _Very sick_ , even if he refused to admit it. 

Mrs. Ellis sent Ben a sad smile, squeezing his shoulder, “Well, I guess I’ll just have to make him some homemade soup and have you bring it up to him then, won’t I?” 

“I think he’d appreciate that very much. Thank you, Mrs. Ellis.” 

“Of course, dear. Wouldn’t you rather take the rest of the day off? If he isn't feeling well, perhaps he wouldn’t mind the added company?” 

Ben smiled kindly at her, shaking his head. “Thank you, that’s awfully kind of you to offer, but no, that’s okay. Besides, he’s sleeping. He really needs the rest, better I stay here so we can still afford to keep that roof over our heads.” He said, pointing towards their apartment upstairs with a small chuckle. 

“You needn’t worry yourself about that. You two boys will always have a home here with me.” She assured Ben with a soft smile. Ben exhaled a laugh, smiling broadly at her. She returned the grin, patting his back as she turned to leave him to his dishes. Ben rinsed the dish, placing it on the drying rack before continuing on with the next. 

Klaus slowly leveraged himself up until he was sitting upright on the couch. He’d been laying there awake ever since Ben left the apartment, trying to heed his brother’s advice and actually attempt to get some rest. 

_But he wasn’t having any luck…_

So instead, he decided to take this opportunity to do the one thing he always did best: work on his abilities. Closing his eyes, Klaus drew his knees towards himself, folding his body into a meditative stance before his powers took hold. He felt the couch disappearing from beneath him as he drifted into the air. Summoning as much strength as he could, Klaus drew from deep within himself; feeling his aura stretch and pull as it reached through the barrier of his mind, sprawling outward in search of his siblings. Hours passed, and his body trembled as it strained against the sheer expanse of his powers. 

It was such a peculiar sensation; Klaus’s abilities were strong, he could _feel_ how powerful he’d become, how sharpened his skillset had grown. But his body, on the other hand, was an entirely different story. Klaus almost wondered if he could compare himself to The Horror within Ben: A strong, powerful entity trapped within a weakened vessel. He couldn’t deny how much his physical strength and health had deteriorated, he only hoped he wouldn’t be overwhelmed; becoming just another casualty to abilities that had outgrown their host. After all, superhuman or not...they were still only human. 

Suddenly, a sharp pain pulsated through Klaus’s skull, vibrating throughout his body until bursting through the tips of his extremities. He screamed out in agony. His head was pounding, and he felt so incredibly dizzy. Klaus fell from the air, barely managing to land on his feet. He stumbled groggily around the room, bumping into side tables, knocking the lamp over before he toppled over. Klaus groaned, reaching out desperately to grab hold of something to steady himself. He exhaled a sigh of relief when he miraculously latched onto the bulky television. He grappled with the rabbit ear antennas, slumping to his knees as he twisted the thin metal pieces tightly within his trembling hands. Klaus’s stomach roiled, nausea building up until bile rose out of his throat, slipping past his clenched teeth before forcing itself from his tongue. Klaus couldn’t hold back his grimace when his vomit spilt all over himself. 

_Why was this happening to him…_

_Why did he feel this way…_

He knew he had some nasty spells after using his powers sometimes, but they’d never gotten this bad. Klaus’s world began to fade in and out, he feared he may pass out. Klaus could sense that something wasn’t right, he desperately needed help. Klaus closed his eyes, pushing past his pain as he reached out to his brother telepathically. 

_‘Ben...Ben, please, can you hear me?’_

Nothing… 

_‘Please, Ben, if you can hear me, I need...I need your help…’_

But Ben wasn’t inside the walls of the apartment… 

He was downstairs in the Café, out of Klaus’s threshold of where his powers could reach… 

He knew he couldn’t stop, though. Klaus’s heart pounded wildly in his chest, his breath coming out in rushed gasps as black spots crept into his field of vision. His hearing started fading, his sight growing thinner as it shrunk into pinpricks. 

_He could feel his health deteriorating…_

_He knew that he needed help, now…_

Klaus gripped with the remnants of his strength, holding the antennas so hard in his grasps that he feared they may snap, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. He dug deeper, stretching himself out painfully further through his abilities as he called out to his brother even louder. 

_‘Ben, please, I need you to hear me. Ben, please, I need your help--”_

Ben smacked the little radio next to the sink when the melodic tune of The Beach Boys cut to static, and a weird grainy voice started to filter through the speakers. “Ugh, come on you stupid thing, I love this song!” 

“B--n, pl--you hear m--en, please--eed your help--” 

Ben smacked the radio again, growling in frustration. “Come on, come on, work--” 

“Ben, please, please, I need your help--” 

Ben froze when the voice sharpened, coming through loud and clear. That wasn’t just some random glitch, that was Klaus. He quickly grabbed the radio, fumbling with it minutely before he held it to his ear, then his mouth like a walkie-talkie. “Klaus?” 

“Ben--” 

“Klaus, hey, is that you?” 

“Ben! Ben, yeah, it’s me, yes, oh my god…” Ben heard what almost sounded like a wounded laugh coming from his brother. 

“Klaus, how are you doing this?” 

“I...I don’t know, I--ah!” Klaus doubled over when a sharp pain ripped through his belly. An agonized scream bursting from his lips, sending shockwaves through the radio to his brother’s ears. If Ben had a heart, it would have stopped. 

_Why did it sound like he was in pain?_

_Something was wrong..._

_What was happening to him?_

“Klaus, what is it? Are you okay--” 

Klaus panted heavily, his vision growing hazier by the second. He could feel his energy quickly burning up and fading away. “B-Ben...please...please, hurry, I need--” Klaus’s voice abruptly halted; the connection cut out as the line went dead. 

“Klaus?” Ben tapped the radio, shaking it before once again holding it to his mouth. “Klaus, are you still there?” 

_Nothing but static…_

“Dammit!” Ben slammed the radio down, ripping his apron off while he bolted from the kitchen. 

“Ben, sweetie, is something wrong--” Mrs. Ellis asked worriedly as he ran past, barely avoiding colliding with her. 

“No, everything's fine. Sorry, Mrs. Ellis--I’m going to take you up on your offer, after all, see you tomorrow!” He shouted over his shoulder. The little bell on the door jingled as he pushed himself past it, his sneakers skidding against the pavement leading to the stairwell before throttling himself up, up, up, climbing three steps at a time. He had no time to waste, he could feel something was wrong, he needed to get to Klaus. 

“Klaus!” he called as he entered into their apartment, “Klaus, where are--” Ben halted in his tracks. Klaus was lying unconscious on the cold hardwood floors of their tiny living room. His chest was rattling with each unsteady breath he fought to take in, his grown out curls clinging onto this sweat dampened forehead. Even from Ben’s position from the threshold between the kitchen and the living room he could see the thick sheen of sweat drenching his brother’s oddly pale skin. “Klaus!” 

Ben bolted, stretching his stride as wide as he could to reach his brother as quickly as possibly. He fell to his knees, sliding into his brother’s motionless form, desperately pulling his limp figure onto his lap. Ben couldn’t help but sigh with an immense sense of relief when he didn’t just phase through. Ben was both thankful and horrified that even as he laid passed out, Klaus was somehow still holding strong in keeping Ben corporeal. He was glad he was able to actually be there to help his brother, but worried that in doing so he wasn’t really helping at all but hindering his health even further. Ben only wished Klaus would relieve himself of the shackles binding him to keeping his ghostly figure alive, and allow himself the rest he so evidently needed. 

Ben pushed the sweat matted hair away from his brother’s face; The Horror in his belly churning in fear when Klaus’s head lulled limply as he hugged him closer to his chest. “Shit, Klaus,” Ben could feel the heat radiating from his skin. He was burning up with a strong fever, _way_ too strong. Ben’s jaw clenched with worry, his eyebrows knitting together as he adjusted Klaus’s body in his arms, hugging him to his chest while tucking his other arm beneath the folds of his knees before he rose to his feet. Carrying Klaus, Ben made the short journey to the couch before he slowly and carefully eased Klaus’s worn body down. 

Several hours had passed by before Klaus finally came to. He blinked the haze from his eyes as he slowly came back to awareness, his hand reaching up and prodding at the cool damp rag pressing against his brow. 

“Leave it,” Came his brother’s stern voice. The couch dipped as Ben sat down beside him. Klaus’s weary gaze trailed to his brother’s. His head was still pounding, and his body felt so incredibly heavy. But there was still air in his lungs, and Ben was there, so Klaus counted that as another blessing. Klaus let out a sigh of relief, allowing his body to relax back against the pillows on the couch. “Welcome back to the world of the living. You scared me, you asshole.” 

Klaus hummed tiredly in response to his brother, allowing his eyes to drift back closed. Ben removed the cloth from his brow, laying the back of his hand against Klaus’s slick skin. He frowned at the heat still radiating from it. Ben dunked the cloth back into the cool water, wringing it out before returning it back to his brother’s fever flushed skin. “You’re still running a fever,” he started. Klaus didn’t respond, simply sucked in a shaky breath, his tongue darting out to dampen his cracked lips. “Look, I don’t know how you did that whole... _radio thing_ , but maybe you should slow down for a bit.” 

Klaus swallowed the saliva in his mouth, his adam's apple bobbing in his throat. “M’fine, Ben--” 

“Fine?” Ben asked incredulously, “Klaus, you...you just passed out! You most certainly are not fine. Look, I don’t know what it is exactly, but something is clearly going on with you. You can’t tell me you don’t know that. You’ve been pretty bad off for a while now, Klaus, and you keep getting worse. I really think it’s time you face the facts; you need to rest. Please, just...take it easy for a little while, give yourself a break so you can have a little time to regain some of your strength--” 

“Take it easy?” Klaus’s eyes shot open as he tried to sit up, but Ben pressed his palms into his shoulders, pushing him back down. 

“Stop, if you want to argue with me, then fine, let’s argue, but you’re laying down. Honestly, I don’t care what you have to say, though. Klaus, seriously, please...you’re sick, something is clearly wrong here, don’t you see that? Please….please, just...lay off for a few days, that’s all I’m asking...please.” 

Klaus’s lips wobbled as he stared into his brother’s desperate, tear-filled eyes. He could see his worry, the undeniable fear lurking behind his irises. Klaus knew he was right. Of course he could feel something was wrong, he wasn’t stupid. 

_He could feel the wear and tear happening to his body…_

How _weak_ he was… 

How _sickly_ he'd become... 

He wished he could stop, really he did… 

_But he couldn’t…_

He hadn’t done enough, yet. As he looked around their tiny apartment, he was greeted with nothing but empty space and silence. His siblings still weren't there; he couldn’t stop until he found them. 

“I...I’m sorry, Benny,” Klaus started. Ben’s gaze trailed to meet his and at first he saw the faintest flicker of hope igniting behind his irises, but that glimmer quickly faded away when he finished what he had to say. “But, I can’t stop. Not now--” 

“Klaus, please--” 

“I can’t!” Klaus shouted. He winced at the shockwave of pain that tore through him, his eyes fluttering before settling closed. Klaus relaxed against the couch, Ben’s hand adjusting the cloth on his brow when it started to slip. “I can’t, Benny. I’m sorry. But...you saw that...I just called out to you through the fucking radio. I didn’t even try to, I did that on accident. I’ve never done that before, and it...it worked. If I...if I can figure out how I did it and maybe do it again, and push further maybe I could actually reach them--” 

“Klaus, absolutely not. You just passed out reaching me downstairs, we don’t even know where or when the hell they are, or if they’re together, or split like us….no. You can’t risk it, it isn’t safe--” 

“My powers...my choice, Benny.” Ben went to protest, laying his hand over Klaus’s shoulder only for him to shrug it off. Klaus groaned, pushing past his discomfort to roll onto his side and away from his brother. “Please, just drop it, okay? I have a headache, and you’re not exactly helping. Besides, I’m tired, I...I’m going to sleep--” 

“Klaus, please, we need to talk about this—-” 

“Goodnight, Benny.” 

* * *

Klaus held true to his word. He tinkered within his abilities, readjusting and trying new techniques until he figured out how he’d managed to connect through radio waves, or sound waves - whatever the hell that was that he’d done. Unfortunately, the more he played with this new power, he quickly learned just how incredibly taxing it was for him. It drained the majority of his strength away each and every time that he attempted it. 

_But he didn’t care…_

Because once Klaus realized that he could do this, _saw_ just what he was capable of, he knew that he needed to continue to perfect this new skill. 

_Even if it would kill him..._

_This_ was the answer to all of his problems. If he could push his abilities, stretch himself through time and space and make contact with at least one of his siblings through _this_ newfound ability...they would finally be reunited. 

Klaus always knew he was an addict, now that drugs no longer held any effect over him, perhaps he supposed it was time that he focused his addictive energy elsewhere… 

Where better than to sharpen this new ability and finally find his long lost siblings? 

But the further he pushed his limits, the worse his health continued to decline. His migraines never lessened, not even good old Mary Jane had an effect on them any longer. Klaus was constantly plagued with dizzy spells. He couldn’t eat, and anytime he attempted to do-so, his body revolted against his efforts, spilling the contents of his belly onto the floor. Klaus’s powers may have been the strongest they’d ever been; surely if Reginald or his siblings saw him now they’d be so proud of him...but with great strength came even greater disability. While this was tiring for him, Klaus knew he could handle it. Afterall, headaches, lack of sleep and dizzy spells were nothing new to him. 

_Surely, he was fine..._

“Klaus,” Ben called, squatting before his brother. Klaus was at it again for the third time that day, endlessly pushing himself through radio waves, desperately searching and calling out for his siblings. “Klaus, please, stop this!” 

But Klaus couldn’t stop...he _wouldn’t_. His limbs trembled, breath hitching in his throat as he pushed harder, and harder until he physically felt he might break. “Please,” Klaus started, begging through the static in the air, “If anyone’s there, please...please, just...just say something…anything at all…” 

“Klaus, _stop!_ ” 

Finally, Klaus did stop. Not because of his brother’s persistent badgering, but because he was physically forced to. His sinuses tickled as a coppery scent suddenly flooded his senses. Klaus reached a shaky hand up only to feel a hot, sticky substance between his fingertips. He opened his eyes, squinting the haze from his vision as he pulled his hand away. Klaus realized the substance now staining his flesh was deep red in color. 

_He was bleeding…_

Klaus’s own blood was pouring out of his nose in a steady stream. He felt light headed, dark spots marring his vision as he started to sway. “Woah...” 

“Klaus, you need to listen to me, I told you--hey, wait, are you okay?” Ben began to ask before Klaus’s eyelashes fluttered, his body toppling to the side as he started to collapse. “Woah, woah, no! Easy, Klaus,” Ben sprung into action, swiftly placing himself between his brother and the floor. “Klaus?” Ben said, tapping his siblings’ cheek. “Klaus, hey, look at me, are you alright?" 

Klaus’s eyes were open, but he was unable to focus. His world was spinning around him, a halo of dark stars surrounding his brother's form. “Ben..I...I don’t feel good.” Klaus groaned, pinching his eyes shut. 

Ben wiped at Klaus’s nose with the sleeve of his jacket. He’d seen Klaus push himself well beyond his physical limits before, but this was an all new low. _Nose bleeds?_ It was obvious that something must be seriously wrong. “Klaus, something’s wrong, you’re pushing yourself too hard. You need to rest--” 

“No..no, I just...I gotta find them--” Klaus insisted, attempting to push himself upright only to weakly collapse back down into Ben’s arms. 

“No, Klaus. _Christ_ , would you just look at yourself,” Ben said, feeling Klaus’s sweat dampened forehead, his brows furrowing in concern. “Don’t you see what’s happening here? Klaus, you’re _killing yourself!_ Look at you, bro--you’re burning up, the constant headaches, now nose bleeds? You haven’t been able to eat a proper meal in months and...Klaus, you’re withering away. Please, just...give this a rest. You’re stretching yourself too thin and...it's killing you.” 

“Ben, m’okay--” 

“I can’t lose you!” Ben shouted, hot tears trailing down his nose, and tumbling over his wobbling chin. Ben couldn’t stand to sit there and watch this happen a moment longer. Months of Klaus steadily growing his abilities, and what did they truly have to show for it? 

_Nothing._

_Absolutely nothing._

They’d had zero luck in making contact with any of their siblings and now… 

Now there was no denying what was so obviously the truth... 

_Klaus was fading…_

_And fast..._

Ben couldn’t continue down this path of watching his brother slowly wither and die, and he refused to allow Klaus to go down it for even a moment longer. “I can’t...I _won’t_ lose you, Klaus. You’re killing yourself, don't you see that? Killing yourself!” 

Klaus was unable to watch the pain and fear behind his brother’s eyes. He knew that he was right. Klaus could feel the changes happening within his body. He knew that if he kept up like this for much longer...well, he knew the risks. “Okay...alright, fine,” Klaus assured his brother, allowing his eyes to slip closed. “I’ll rest.” 

Klaus slept through that night for the first time in months, but only because his body had grown too weak to fight it any longer. 

_But he didn’t continue to rest…_

The very next day he was at it again. 

_And again…_

_And again…_

_And again…_

Days, weeks, _months_ passed by and Klaus never stopped, never slowed down and never once took a break. Rest did not come easily for Klaus his entire life, and it only got worse the stronger his abilities became. 

While Klaus was the strongest he’d ever been within his abilities, his vessel containing his powers had never felt more weak. 

Klaus could hardly function. His nose bleeds became a newfound common occurrence, and he still constantly suffered from never ending dizzy spells. At first they weren’t so bad, but as he continued to push his limits, these issues morphed and changed until new issues started to arise. 

_Eventually, Klaus started having seizures..._

The first time it happened was the scariest; mostly for Ben who watched helplessly as Klaus’s body began to convulse and spasm as he crumpled into his arms. Even corporeal, what could Ben really do? He was utterly helpless, only able to hold his brother, rolling him onto his side so he wouldn’t choke on his own vomit and coo to him in hopes of easing his pain. 

But Klaus would _always_ be in excruciating pain; feeling as though his brain was being forcefully torn out of his skull. He was constantly weak, lacking the energy to eat, as he had absolutely no appetite. Eating was incredibly difficult, usually Ben had to feed him something as simple as chicken broth just to ensure he had any nutrients, but oftentimes Klaus would just get sick and vomit it back up, his body rejecting anything he ate. Ben always urged him to at least try, but the nausea never failed and Klaus was constantly sick. After a year had passed since they were first deposited into this timeline; endless months of Klaus pushing his abilities, stretching himself well beyond his physical limits, the toll it had taken on his body was unmistakable. 

Klaus had lost weight-- _too much_ weight, and now easily resembled the corpses who haunted him. 

_It was obvious that Klaus’s body couldn’t handle his powers..._

_It was even more obvious that it was failing him…_

Klaus had difficulty getting around; sure, he could levitate now, but even his abilities began to suffer at the expense of his physical limitations. Some days were worse than others, but it was always a constant battle for him. He had some days where he couldn’t even stand, he was too weak, and was forced to be confined to bed rest. 

But no matter how poorly he felt, how depleted his energy was, or how damn near close to death Klaus may have felt, he still continued to _always_ push himself, stretching his abilities through time and space in search of his missing siblings. He couldn’t give up, not now...not when he’d already worked so hard and come so far. 

_He wouldn’t let his body waste this chance…_

_He couldn’t…_

“Klaus, hey, wake up,” Ben gently stroked his fingertips down Klaus’s cheek. He was resting, his head laying on his brother’s lap. Unfortunately, it was not by choice. “Hey buddy, how are you feeling? You’ve been out for quite a while, now.” Ben cooed softly with a worried expression. 

“W’ha happened?” Klaus slurred weakly, attempting and failing to push himself up on shaky limbs. 

“Easy, just lay down. Klaus, you had another seizure,” Ben informed him, pressing the back of his hand to Klaus’s forehead. “And you’re running a fever again. Maybe you should call it a day, or a week--” 

“We’ve been o’er this, m’fine, Ben--” 

“Klaus, this shit keeps happening— _these seizures?_ It’s not good for you. Don’t you understand that? Now, come on, let me help you to bed, you should be resting--” 

“I should be looking for the others!” Klaus shouted as he pushed himself onto his feet. His world tilted dangerously, his knees buckling beneath his weight, and he began to fall. Ben immediately bolted upright, steadying him. Klaus’s chest heaved as he tried to pull air into his lungs. He was so tired, he knew his brother was right. 

_He could feel the changes happening within himself…_

_Happening to his body…_

He saw how he was continuing to get progressively worse as the days passed him by. Even now, what used to only plague him when he was using his abilities quickly changed into sporadic episodes. Klaus could be heeding Ben’s advice and actually attempting to rest, if even for a little while, only for one of these seizures to take him by surprise. Sometimes he could feel them coming; a metallic taste would fill his mouth, subtle involuntary twitches or spasms of his muscles would occur before he would be overwhelmed by a full scale episode. Other times they would come completely out of nowhere. This last one Klaus simply got up from the couch to fetch a glass of water to quench his sudden thirst when his eyes rolled back into his skull and Ben’s horrified shouts filled his ears before everything faded to black. 

Klaus may have been many things, but contrary to popular belief he wasn’t a fool. 

_He knew that if he didn’t find his siblings soon he would die having never known what happened to them..._

But Klaus knew they weren’t dead. That was a give in, as he certainly would have seen them by now. Afterall, an entire year had passed. If they hadn’t found him in the afterlife by now, they surely must still be alive. That was Klaus’s only shred of hope. He could feel it deep down in the marrow of his aching bones; they were alive, he knew they were out there somewhere, hopefully searching for him just as desperately as he’d been looking for them. 

“I can’t stop, Ben...I need--” Ben’s grip tightened around Klaus’s waist when his body dipped lower, his energy quickly fading. “I need t-to...f-find them.” he said through his labored breaths. 

“Klaus, I know how important this is to you, but please, reconsider,” Ben pleaded with his sibling, “You need to rest. Please, a break won’t kill you, but if you keep up like this your powers _will--_ ” 

“I can’t! I can’t, I can’t stop, not now,” Klaus cried, clutching Ben’s hoodie within his trembling fists. “I’m so close, Ben...so close, I have to be…” 

“Klaus, please--” 

Klaus pushed himself away from Ben, allowing his body to tumble to the ground in front of the television set. He closed his eyes, folding his slender legs over one another, trying desperately to reach his siblings once again. 

“Klaus, stop, not now, not after you just had a seizure. Please, you need to rest--” 

“Please, if you can hear me, I just…” Klaus groaned, his pulse pounding painfully through his temples as blood was already starting to trickle from his nose. “I just need a sign. Please, don’t let all of this be in vain. Please, please, I’m begging you. Diego, Allison, Luther...F-Five...Vanya… _please_ , if you can hear me, please say something...please!” 

“Klaus, please, stop this. I’m begging you--” 

__“ _Please_!” Klaus pleaded through his tears. He was growing increasingly desperate as the seconds ticked by. He was so weak today, undoubtedly the worst he’d ever been. He was in so much pain. As his heart rate picked up pace, his head pounded harder, and harder, his world fading in and out of focus. Klaus’s nosebleed intensified, pouring down his face and staining his exposed chest a deep crimson hue. He could hardly breathe, his chest ached as he heaved for each ragged breath. Klaus could feel how bad off he was, how downright _sick_ and _weak_ he’d become. He knew he was deteriorating. Klaus could taste a hint of metallic on his tongue but couldn’t differentiate if it was from his nose or if it was another seizure coming for him, but he didn’t care. He knew if he kept this up for much longer it wouldn’t matter. Klaus’s limbs trembled, his awareness spreading thin like a threadbare piece of cotton as his vision grew hazy. 

_Klaus had never felt so poorly before…_

_He feared this may be it…_

Had he finally pushed himself too far? Was he already too late? Would he really die right here, right now, having never made contact with his siblings? Would they ever know how much he missed them, and loved them, or how desperately he longed to see them or even just hear their voices one last time? 

Would they even miss him once he was gone?

“Please, please, I just...I need to know that you all are okay! Please, just let me know that you all made it, that you’re alright...that...that you’re alive, and well, and you’re healthy and safe!” Klaus wailed, clutching his hand over his stomach when nausea overwhelmed him. Swallowing back the bile mercilessly attempting to climb up his throat, Klaus continued desperately through his agony and his tears. 

_He could feel himself fading…_

_He could tell his body was finally giving up…_

_This was his final chance for some form of closure..._

“Please...just let me know that you’re okay…”

“Klaus, please, you need to--”

“ _Klaus?_ ”

Wait…

That voice…

That wasn’t Ben’s voice….

“Klaus, is that you?”

“Diego?” Ben and Klaus spoke in unison. Shockwaves of relief and joy flooding each of their entire beings. This was it, he’d done it, he’d actually fucking done it. A year of him slowly chipping away the ground around his own grave was finally, finally paying off. This was worth all of his pain, his suffering, all of his days where he truly wondered if he closed his eyes if they’d just never open again. This made all of that worth it to him in the end. “Di...Diego, is that you?”

“Klaus! Klaus it’s me!” his brother’s voice was elated, yet desperate. “Klaus, w-where are you?”

Klaus smiled, a laugh, a genuine sound seeping from his lips as tears of joy trailed down his hollowed cheeks. Klaus went to answer his brother, his long lost brother who’s voice made his heart sing with elation. “I’m here, Diego, I’m right--” Klaus screamed in agony when an immense pain ripped through him. 

_No…_

_Not now..._

_Not when his brother was right there…_

_Not when he was finally so fucking close…_

“Klaus? Klaus, what was that, what’s happening, are you okay?” Diego asked, unable to identify what was happening on the other end of the Television.

Klaus gritted his teeth, wrenching his eyes closed as he pushed through his pain with the slightest bit of might he had left. “W-where...where are you, Diego?”

“I’m in Austin, Texas, Klaus. Please, tell me, where are you? I can’t believe it’s actually you!’ 

Klaus exhaled a warbling laugh at his brother’s words. He and Ben exchanged a look of pure elation. “We’re...we’re in Austin, too. But...but _when_ are you, Di...I need...I need to know when…” Klaus groaned, his body swaying as his energy continued to fade. 

_He didn’t have much time…_

“1963. When are you?”

Klaus’s heart leapt in his chest, more hot tears streaking down his hollowed cheeks at his brother’s words. 

_He’d done it…_

He was _here_ , in _his time_ , in _his town_ and they would finally be reunited again. 

Klaus wiped at his tears with trembling hands, his smile wide as he opened his mouth to speak, but no words ever left his tongue. Suddenly, Klaus was encompassed by a white hot agony. He felt like his body was aflame, burning in an inferno of pain. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t speak, or see. He screamed, his body crumbling to the floor at his brother’s feet.

“Klaus, Klaus what’s happening? What’s wrong? Klaus!” Diego pleaded for him to answer him.

“Klaus, tell him where you are! Diego’s here, he’s gotta be nearby, he can help you!” Ben pulled his brother’s agonized body into his arms, he could see how badly he was suffering. Klaus tried to speak, but he couldn’t. It was taking everything he had not to drop the connection to either of his brother’s. He didn’t want to lose Diego, not after he worked so hard to finally reach him. But almost more than anything, he was terrified of dying without being able to hold Ben in his final moments. Maybe it was selfish of him, but he couldn’t bear the idea of crossing over alone. Blood continued to pour from his nose, flooding down his throat into his lungs as he gagged through his agonized wails. He was in so much pain. 

_There was no mistaking what Ben was witnessing..._

_He knew his brother was dying..._

“Ben? Ben, is that you?” Through all of his worry, Ben nearly forgot that he was corporeal. That he was capable of speaking and actually being heard. That _he_ could ask for help himself.

“Yes, Diego, it’s me,” Ben started urgently, rolling Klaus onto his side when he started sputtering on his blood. “Please, please, you have to help Klaus! We’re in 1963, too! Please, Klaus doesn’t have much time. We’re in the apartment above the Milk and Honey Café on the corner of Keene and Druid! But Diego, please, you need to hurry, Klaus needs your help!”

“I know where you are, I’m close by, I'll be right there! You hear me, Klaus? You’re going to be okay, I’m coming to you!”

Klaus’s lips quirked into the softest grin, his eyes meeting Ben’s in a moment of hope. Ben’s smile quickly shifted to an expression of horror. Klaus’s eyes fluttered, rolling back into his skull as his body began to spasm uncontrollably. 

_He was having another seizure…_

_His strongest one yet…_

“No, no!” Ben wailed, “Please, hold on Klaus! You have to hold on!”

Klaus continued to seize; he wasn’t aware of Ben or Diego’s calls of reassurance, or their cries for him to hold on. All he knew was he couldn’t breathe, he was in so much pain…

He could feel his strength depleting, his awareness fading quick. He barely registered the feeling of Ben hugging him closer, rocking him in his arms; his hot tears seeping against his heated skin before he became aware of nothing as everything grew hazy before fading away from his grasp entirely until he knew no more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was so crazy long; and here I thought splitting it into 3 chapters would make it so it wasn't just 1 long chapter-HA! Whoopsies! Guess I was wrong. lol
> 
> Hopefully this didn't disappoint, I hope the thoughts and feelings and everything I tried to convey came through! 
> 
> Y'all, I'm so excited for S2! I cannot wait, and I hope we get the trailer soon!
> 
> Also, little added random fact here: I've been practicing (a LOT) on my drawing skills and have been doing an (almost) daily drawing countdown to TUA S2 and posting the pics over on my tumblr, so if anyone would be interested in checking those out you can find me at: courtneytarynofficial
> 
> Last chapter will be up soon enough! Thanks for reading! And HUGE thank you to everyone who has commented, bookmarked, subscribed, or given kudos thus far--wow, I didn't expect such an overwhelming amount of feedback! It was a super welcome surprise! I hope y'all know how much I appreciate each and every one of you! Thank you so much! See ya soon! ;)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to finish this one guys! And as a heads up, this was based on a dream and therefore is not even _slightly_ canon now that the season has actually dropped (not that I expected it to be anyways, but, yeah...) lol
> 
> Anywhoooo I hope you enjoy! :)

Klaus didn’t know where he was, nor what happened. Last he remembered was something about the moon...it was...falling?

Or wait, had he been the one who had been falling? Klaus remembered water, and feeling weightless and then oh so heavy all at once and then he remembered Ben…

Ben…

Where was Ben? Where were the others? 

Oh wait…

That’s right…

He’d lost them...

Klaus was too weak and had let go and he’d singlehandedly lost his siblings…

All but Ben…

That’s right…

He _had_ been looking…

For months, no wait, longer...much longer…

 _A year_ …

A year of pushing himself, diving deep within the confines of his abilities to expand his powers; stretching towards reaching his siblings once again and he—

Finally had, hadn’t he?

Wasn’t he successful? There was a voice...he implicitly remembered that…

Or had it all been a dream?

No…

Klaus couldn’t accept that, he’d worked so hard for so long…

Pushed himself well beyond his own physical limitations…

Wearing himself thin, literally and metaphorically and damn near sacrificed himself for this moment, it couldn’t be unreal…

It had to be true, it just had to…

Klaus wasn’t sure if he had enough strength to try again…

In fact, he _knew_ he didn’t…

If he tried again...he would…

He would….

No.

He couldn’t worry about that, not right now. Not when he was so close. He had to know the truth. He had to make sure they were alright; that they weren’t suffering the same fate as himself…

That they’d survived, that he hadn’t not only single handedly lost them but also _sealed the fate_ of his siblings…

He had to find them, he had to keep looking, he had…

A horrible migraine…

Klaus winced, groaning in pain when he finally peeled his eyelids open, squinting against the harsh lights attacking his retinas. Everything was so blurry, Klaus could hardly see.

“Ben?” he whispered, voice raspy and barely audible through his amassing fatigue. “B-Benny, please…” Klaus’s vision was unbelievably hazy. Everything was blurred together in unfocused flurries of lights and colors. His head was pounding; it felt as though his brain was still seizing within the confines of his skull. Klaus tried to peel the blanket away from his body but his arms shook feebly. God, he felt so weak. Honestly, Klaus’s entire being felt so… _strange_. How was he ever here? Still _alive?_ Surely, he should be dead right now. Klaus remembered his final moments before he blacked out. He remembered the agonizing pain he felt, the way his body felt like it was being torn apart from the inside out. He remembered choking on his own blood before the all-too familiar sensation of a seizure overtook him. He remembered hearing Diego’s voice. At least, he _thought_ he’d remembered. Had it really only been a dream? Closing his eyes, Klaus rested his body heavily against the pillows propped behind him. He didn’t remember going into the bedroom, but...maybe Klaus’s memories were obscured somehow. His head had been off lately, Maybe...maybe everything had just been a dream.

He had to keep trying, he needed to reach out to Ben. “Benny? Benny, Please--”

“Shhh,” A voice cooed to him, adjusting a cool, damp rag against his brow he hadn’t even realized was there. 

“I...I had a dream that we found them, Benny. I dreamt that...that we found Diego and the others. I hope--” he coughed, groaning at the pounding it caused behind his temples. Klaus was so dizzy, his head spinning and he could hardly catch his breath. “I hope it’s a sign and we’ll find them soon. I...I don’t know how much longer I can keep doing this--” Klaus winced, reaching a shaky hand towards his throbbing head. “My head hurts...so...so bad, Benny.”

“Your head is the least of your worries, Klaus,”

Klaus froze stock still.

That voice…

That wasn’t Ben’s voice….

“Di--Diego?”

“Shh, just relax, Klaus. I’m here, you’re okay. You’re safe, now,” Diego cooed.

Klaus tried to sit up, he couldn’t believe it. His dream wasn’t a dream at all. Diego was here, he was actually here sitting right beside him. All his hard work had finally paid off. “Diego--”

“Woah there, easy does it,” Diego began, gently pressing his palms against Klaus’s shoulders to guide his weary frame back down against the mattress. “Stay calm, you just woke up, Klaus. You’re sick,” Diego’s worried gaze trailed to his brother’s before examining his features. Diego couldn’t believe how frail Klaus had become. Sure, he’d always been thin, but this? He looked like he’d been knocking on death's door for quite some time now, and that frightened Diego. What if he hadn’t reached him? What if he’d never found his brother? Where would Klaus be now? Would he even still be alive? After seeing him like this, and remembering how he looked when he found him: still seizing and choking on his own blood on his living room floor, Diego wasn’t so sure that he would be. “Why did you do this?”

“Do what?” Klaus asked weakly, glassy eyes meeting his brother’s petrified gaze.

“Allow yourself to get this bad.”

“I...I had no other choice. I had to find you, Di--”

“Seizures, Klaus?” Diego began, voice every bit as terrified as he felt. “You...you were killing yourself. You almost died--”

Diego’s words stopped abruptly when Klaus began whimpering. He groaned, squeezing his eyes tightly closed, entangling his slender fingers into his unruly curls.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Diego asked.

“My...my head...It hurts so bad--”

“See? This is what I mean,” Diego began, expression soft as he cupped Klaus’s cheek within the warmth of his palm. “You can’t keep doing this, bro. You need to rest.”

“Where...where’s Ben?” Klaus asked, his hazy green eyes frantically searching the room for his missing brother. “I need Ben--”

“Easy, Klaus. Ben’s fine, but you need to relax--”

“No. No, please. Where is he? I need him, I need Ben,” Klaus whined, shaking his head back and forth weakly. “Ben, Benny, where are you. Please, Benny. Oh no,” Klaus’s features screwed up in despair when he realized his brother was not there. “Oh no, no no, no. I promised him. I promised him Diego, and I failed him! I failed him! Why do I always have to fail!” 

“Calm down, Klaus. You need to calm down. You haven’t failed anyone. You’re supposed to be taking it easy, not working yourself up!”

Klaus couldn’t believe he’d failed his brother. He promised him when they landed that he’d never let him go unheard or unseen again and yet Ben wasn’t there. He'd failed him, but it wasn’t too late, he could still bring him back. Klaus balled his hands closed into tight fists. Pinching his eyes shut, Klaus clenched his teeth and focused what sliver of energy he had into summoning his brother back to the realm of corporeality. A dull blue light flickered from within his palms as his abilities began to take hold.

“Please...come on, please work--” Klaus begged to the powers above. Klaus’s world began to spin, his heartbeat thudding wildly within his chest, the blood pounding behind his temples roaring within his ears. He groaned, his pain intensifying from his exertion. A droplet of blood dribbled from his nostrils as his hands began to shake. He knew he didn’t have long, he could already taste the metallic on his tongue. He knew a seizure wasn’t far behind.

“Klaus, please, calm down!” Diego grabbed his hands, trying desperately to soothe his brother.

Suddenly, the door to the apartment swung open.

“What’s happening?” Ben asked as he entered the bedroom where Klaus was supposed to be resting. His eyes widened into saucers at the sight before him. “Klaus, please calm down!”

The sound of Ben's voice instantly lulled Klaus from his endeavors. “Ben?” He whispered, eyes fluttering as he relaxed against the mattress once again. “You’re...you’re here. You’re really still here..”

“Of course I am dummy. I can’t just leave you.” Ben’s tone was joking, but his expression was soft. 

“Jesus, Diego,” A new voice rang in. Klaus peeled his eyes open, cocking his head to the side to see his sister, Allison standing beside Ben. “you were supposed to watch him and keep him calm, not freak him out.”

“Alli?” Klaus gasped, “You can...you’re talking...you’re really here--” Klaus could no longer hide his emotions...and he cried. Over a year he’d dreamt of this moment and now here it was. Finally being once again reunited with his long lost siblings and now here they were. It would no longer need to be him and Ben VS the world anymore, because they were together with their long lost siblings at last. Klaus was happy, truly happy, and he could tell by the look on Ben’s face that he was clearly happy too. Klaus reached an unsteady hand out towards his sister. He needed to hold her, he craved her presence for so long and she was finally here. But he was too weak. He groaned, his arm dropping limply at his side. 

Allison frowned, approaching the side of the bed where she took a seat beside Klaus, lacing her fingers between his as she pulled his hand within her own. “Rest,” she spoke softly, hoping her words would encourage him to listen. 

“Where--where are the others?” Klaus asked.

Allison, Ben and Diego exchanged a sullen look between them. Klaus sighed, opening his eyes, taking their silence as answer enough. “You don’t know, do you?”

“Klaus--”

“I can do it,” Klaus began, weakly pushing himself up onto shaking elbows. “I found you, I can find the others too--”

Diego and Allison coaxed Klaus back down. “Absolutely not.”

“No?” Klaus said, “Diego, I can do it--”

“Listen to me, Klaus. You did great, okay? But now? Now, you need to rest. You’re not alone anymore--”

“A-hem!” Ben cleared his throat, shooting Diego a glare.

“You and Ben aren’t alone anymore,” he corrected. “You have us, and we will work together to find the others. Besides, we have a potential lead on Five’s whereabouts in Dallas. But for now, what’s most important is that you gain back some of your strength and get some much needed sleep, understood?”

“But--” Klaus began to protest, but Allison cut him off.

“Sleep...you earned it.” She smiled warmly at Klaus, tucking a sweat soaked curl behind his ear. He smiled, nodding in return. Klaus’s eyelashes fluttered, his energy quickly fading away. His war against sleeping was a battle he simply wasn’t strong enough to win. 

“Diego,” Klaus whispered, cracking his eyelids open into slits.

“Yeah, Klaus?” Diego asked, looking towards his brother.

Klaus intertwined his slender fingers within Diego’s, before reaching to do the same with Allison. Ben laid his hand against Klaus’s shoulder, and the entire family exchanged a warm grin.

“It’s good to not be so alone.” Klaus said.

Ben laughed, squeezing Klaus’s shoulder just as his brother finally succumbed to sleep. He smiled, watching happily as Klaus got the well deserved rest he’d needed for so long before he shifted his sight towards Diego and Allison, giving them a giant grin. 

“I couldn’t agree more.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! It's finally over! Klaus has Ben, and Diego and Allison and we all know what's waiting for them in Dallas. Now, it's just letting Klaus rest and regain his strength before they reunite with the rest of the fam!
> 
> Sorry if this last chapter felt rushed. I just really wanted to finish it so it was complete and so no one had to keep waiting. I hope it didn't disappoint too much! I'm sorry if it did! Please be sure to check out my other stories! I have 2 _actual_ season 2 stories up and I maaaaaaay be plotting a potential 2 part series for Season 2 as well. Lots of Klaus whump (of course) if I do decide to write it! Forewarning, it's a sad one. :(
> 
> If you liked this please be sure to let me know in the comments! I crave validation just like the rest of you folks, and it would really do my heart some good to hear from you! I hope you're all well and staying safe out there! And I hope you all enjoyed Season 2!! Rumor has it Season 3 may already be greenlit! And if it's not, I'm sure it will be soon! So many questions were left unanswered, so it better get green lit! lol
> 
> Thank you again to everyone who has commented, bookmarked, subscribed or left kudos so far, I hope you enjoyed this final installment! Thank you again! :)

**Author's Note:**

> This will have 3 parts total I do believe ( just so it's not obnoxiously long) if you liked this, please let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear from you! Also, I'd love to hear your theories for S2!! So lay them on me! Will we have Dark!Klaus this season? How will he channel his "addictive energy"?? I'd love to know your thoughts!! Hope you all are well! :)


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